BCP takes Miller’s ‘View’ to the edge

A succinct yet accurate statement that precisely captures the essence of Arthur Miller’s dozens of plays, written in a span of 60 years and granted such accolades as a Pulitzer Prize and multiple Tony Awards.

Miller highlighted the worries and uncertainties of the ordinary man, digging deep into the average psyche to reveal inner struggles and personal and family conflict, all the while infusing his work with undertones of social and political awareness.

“A View from the Bridge,” one of Miller’s short plays that spotlights the woes of a family tainted by obsession and betrayal, is set in Red Hook, an Italian-American neighborhood near the Brooklyn Bridge in New York.

Eddie, the protagonist, develops an improper fascination with his niece Catherine, and upon

the arrival of two of his wife’s relatives (illegal immigrants from Italy), his obsession for Catherine boils over and drives him to make a choice that upturns the entire family dynamic.

Family conflict, a topic that forever remains relevant, is at the heart of this short play.

“It’s a very intense drama that is beautifully acted,” said director Gina Hinson.

Theatre on the Edge, a new venture for BCP, is a promising series of shows that take an edgier, more modern approach and focuses on lesser-known pieces, giving the actors and the audience more room for character exploration and discovery.

Set in the black box theater — a smaller, more personal theater — the Theatre on the Edge series is already growing into its own.

“In the black box, you get a much more intimate theater experience,” Hinson said. “Part of the responsibility of the theater is to offer a wide range of shows to the audience, including shows that veer off the beaten track.”

This series’ success locally proves there is plenty of room for direct, unostentatious dramas to share the theater with the larger-than-life, well known musicals that usually boast much more marketing power.

“I think it’s important to strike a balance, and BCP has been striving to achieve that balance,” Hinson said.

One of the less-performed Miller plays, “A View from the Bridge” is an engaging and thought-provoking drama dripping with subtext.

“Every word means something,” Hinson said. “A day after you watch this show, you are still realizing things and applying meaning to situations that were happening in the drama. I’ve always liked Miller, but I’d never drilled down into his plays like I have with this show. It’s been a wonderful experience.”